Sucker rod and lock



April 26, 1927.

H. L. SULLINS ET AL SUCKER ROD AND LOCK Filed April 18, 1925 El; 3a

zjmentofi I Z Z [125, EMasla z'n Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

HAROLD L. SULLmS AND JOHN E. .MU'S'IAIN, F 'IAF'I, CALIFORNIA; SAIDMUSTAIN ASSLEG.lll'OIEtOF ONE-FOURTH TO SAID SULLINS AND ONE-FOURTH TOW. D. GRAY.

STICKER ROD AND LOCK.

Application filed April 18, 1925. Serial No. 24,274.

This invention relates to a sucker rod as used in the pumping of oilwells and particularly to a connection for the sections thereof wherebythey may be locked together. against parting or unscrewing.

It is aimed to provide anovel construction wherein the lock mayparticularly be incorporated in one of the sections and especially asub.

Another object is to provide a construction wherein the lock isautomatically displaceable through the attachment of a wrench to the subfor the turning thereof with respect to the rod section.

It is also an aim to provide a novel construction of rod of upset typeas hereinafter set forth.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from aconsideration of the. description following taken in connection withaccompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation;

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section, one rod section beingreleased;

Figure 3 is across sect-ion on line. of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a 30 latches, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the latches in assembled relation.

The sucker rod is shown as comprising sections for instance as usual ofconsiderable length, say 30 feet, coupled or detachably connectedtogether by a sub or section 11 for instance of 5 inches. Sections 10 attheir ends have screw threaded studs 12 which engage female screwthreads in the bore of the sub 11 as at 13. The distal ends of the studshave one or more radial slots 14 adapted for engagement by offsets 15 onlatches 16. Said offsets are disposed centrally of the bore of the sub.Centrally of the sub and at its bore, the same is materially enlarged toprovide guide ribs 17 along which the latches are slidable. Said latcheshave elongated slots 18 into which extend one end of operating leversl9, generally triangular in shape, occupying slots 20 in the sub andbeing pivoted to the sub by pins at 21. As a result, the latches cannotbecome accident-ally displaced longitudinally of the subs. The offsets15 also provide shoulders as at 22 which are engaged perspective of oneof the by the opposite ends of two expansive coil springs 23 which urgethe latches into latching position in whichthe outer edges of theoperating levers 18 are substantially with the longitudinal axis of thesub.

It. is to be noted that the latches 16 slide in opposite directions sothat the levers 19 are arranged in transverse disalincinent and that onopposite sides of the sub, wrenchreceiving ways 24-. areprovided andthatthe free operating end of each lever 19 extends into the adjacent way sothat when a wrench is applied to the respective pairs of ways, theassociated lever 19 is rocked and thereby retracts the associated latch16, to release the same from the adjacent sucker rod or section 10. V i

As a result of the construction described, as the sucker rod is engagedby a wrench and turned for connection with the screw threaded stud 12 ofthe adjacent rod or section 10, the latch 16 controlled thereby'isretracted and hence the sub may be connected without restriction, butwhen the wrench is released, the springs act so as to protect theadjacent latch into the nearest radial slot 1 1, thus holding thesections against dangerv of parting or separation. This is true withrespect to both ends of the sub and the connected rods or sections 10.

The sucker rods or sections 10 may boot any suitable construction so faras the lock- .ing feature aforesaid is concerned. However we prefer toemploy a particular sucker rodto increase thelongevity thereof. At thepresent time, approximately per cent of the breaks through the twistingof sucker rods, occur within a distance of not more than 6 inches fromthe end of the rod. To reenforce the rod and avoid such breakage, eachrod as at 80, for a distance say of 12 inches from its end is relativelythick and then merges into the main portion of the red as at 31 which isof less thickness or cross, sectional diameter. The ends of the portion30 may be further thickened or made of greater cross sectional area asat 33. This construction will greatly minimize the breakage aforesaid byreason of the upset construction.

Various changes may be resort-ed to prothe latches,

will be depressed upon engagement of a wrench in the ways. Y

2. A connection for sucker rod sections or the like, comprisingoppositely movable latches in contact With each other to en age thesections, levers associated With the latches depressible to retractthem, and spring means common to and engaging both latches and urgingprojection thereof.

3. A'device or the class described consisting of a sub, contactinglatches therein slidable in opposite directions to engage rod sections,springs between and engaging each of said latches to urge projectionthereof, said latches having slots, operat ing levers pivoted to the suband extending into the slots, thereby preventing displace-- ment of thelatches.

i. 'A device otthe class described cont prising a sub, latches slidabletherein" in opposite directions for engagement with sucker rod sections,each latch having at offset portion arranged centrally of thebore of thesub, expansive springmeans abutting the inner ends of the oli'setportions and urging projection of the latches, said latches having slotstherethrough, levers pivoted to the sub and extending into the eaaeovslots and thereby preventing displacement of the latches.

5. A device of the class described comprising a sub, latches slidable,therein in opposite directions for engagement with sucker rod sections,each latch having an offset portion arranged centrally of the bore ofthe sub, expansive spring means abutting the inner ends of the olfsetportions and urging projection of the latches, said latches havingslotstherethrough, levers pivoted to the sub and extending into the slots andthereby preventing displacement of the latches, the sub'having exteriorWrench-receiving ays into Which the lever extends so as to be engaged bya Wrench and thereby automatically retracted.

64A device or the class described comprising a sub, latches slidabletherein in opposite directions for engagement With sucker rod sections,each latch having an offset portion arranged centrally or the bore'ofthe sub, expansive spring means abutting the inner encs of the offsetportions and urging projection of thelatches, said latches having slotstherethrough, levers pivoted to the sub and extending into the slots andthereby preventing displacement of the latches. and the sub beinginteriorly enlarged into ribs for guiding the latches during slidingmovement. p

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

HAROLD L. SULLINS. JOHN "MUSTAIN."

